Digital Reconstruction of a Samian Ware

I was commissioned by the Leicester Arts and Museums Service to digitise decorated Samian Ware pieces (terra sigillata, fine red ancient roman pottery) dating from between 50BC to 3rd century AD and to reproduce these as replicas that could potentially improve the museum experience of partially sighted visitors through touch. The aim was also to examine the quality of the reproduced artefacts using SLA. Challenges include non-contact scanning, capturing the motifs and designs on the relief-decorated ware (hunting scenes), and to circumnavigate issues of the reflective glaze-like surface.

This work was exhibited at the AHRC Symposium and Showcase Networking event “Before the Last traces Are Gone” (DMU Campus Centre on 16 December 2013).

Principle Investigator: E. Pei; Research Assistant; Sai Manoj